13 December 2014

Ms. Foundation for Women President and CEO Teresa
C. Younger issued the following statement on December 12, 2014, in support of nationwide marches for
justice and an end to police violence:

“In Sanford, Florida, Ferguson, Missouri, Staten Island, New
York and countless cities and towns across the country, systemic racism has trumped
justice. The criminal justice system is broken and immediate federal action is
required to fix it. President Obama has proposed measures to restore justice,
including the formation of a new task force to promote effective policing while
building public trust. We reiterate our call on Congress to support the
president’s efforts – and to do even more.

”Every public
official in this country needs to listen to the victims of the criminal justice
system’s racism. We must lift up the voices of people of color and really
listen to their everyday experiences. Florida. Missouri. New York. No place is
safe if you are a person of color. Walking down the street with a bag of candy.
Knocking on a door to ask for help with a broken car. Walking away from a
police officer. Every activity is a perceived threat if you are a person of
color.

“There are so many
stories of men, boys, women and girls of color who have been victims of the
criminal justice system’s racism, too many to list and far too many to dismiss
as unfortunate mistakes or justified acts of self-defense. Yet, countless
Americans continue to deny the plain truth: In America, the lives of people of
color are not valued or respected.

“The systemic
racism of the criminal justice system is at the root of the wholesale slaughter
of people of color. Until we fix that, people of color will continue to live in
fear and lives will continue to be lost. We must dismantle the system
that kills and unjustly imprisons people of color and rebuild it together, with
all of us at the table – women and men of all colors, LGBTQ people, young and
old, immigrants and Native people, rich and poor, people with disabilities.
Every voice must be heard and valued.

“We stand and march with people
across the country who will take the streets on Saturday to call for justice and
demand an end to police violence. We commit to continuing to organize dissent, raise
our voices in outrage and demand reforms to build a nation of justice for all.”

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For 40 years, the Ms. Foundation for Women has secured women's rights and
freedoms with a special commitment to building the power of low-income, immigrant
and women of color. The foundation invests funds, time, expertise and training
in nearly 100 trailblazing organizations nationwide.